Supreme Court judgment: Business now looking to EU

Karen Briggs, Head of Brexit at KPMG comments on today’s Supreme Court judgment: “As expected the Government has lost its appeal on whether an Act of Parliament is needed before Article 50 can be triggered. However the Supreme Court also ruled that there was no requirement to consult with the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This removes a potential roadblock for the Government’s Brexit plans and means industry leaders can work on the basis that Article 50 will be triggered by the end of March.

“Businesses are now concerned about how the EU will respond to the UK’s negotiating objectives. The EU is unlikely to give the UK government an easy ride so it’s hard to see even the basis for a deal emerging before the Autumn. This means UK plc is bracing itself for another period of prolonged uncertainty. Businesses will need to hold their nerve and develop contingency plans with optionality rather than being side-tracked by the increasingly confrontational rhetoric we’re likely to see on both sides over the remainder of this year.”